The Three Motions
by Chou ni Natte
Summary: Sasuke's brother is not the one who killed their clan. Only Sasuke and Itachi know this. But they can never tell and are forced to act as if the elder brother is the murderer. *implied KakaSasu*
1. Condemnation

**Title:** The Three Motions  
**Author:** Keitorin (a.k.a. Chou ni Natte)  
**Fandom:** Naruto  
**Pairing/Characters:** implied Kakashi x Sasuke / Naruto, Sakura, Itachi  
**Rating:** PG  
**Type:** AU  
**Summary:** Sasuke's brother is not the one who killed their clan. Only Sasuke and Itachi know this. But they can never tell and are forced to act as if the elder brother _is _the murderer.  
**Author's note:** Summary and plot came from cheysuli.envy.nu/. I wonder just how long ago it was submitted, it being on the first page – and there's 14…

**Note:** Definitions from dictionary dot com.

**Disclaimer:** I don't claim to own Naruto and I make no profit from writing fanfiction.

* * *

**-1-**

**con·dem·na·tion**

1. the act of condemning

2. the state of being condemned.

* * *

Eight-year-old Sasuke took one final deep breath and let it out.

"When I woke…h-he was gone."

The official nodded and wrote his statement down before leaving with his parting condolences.

The doctor pulled her chair over and sat beside the patient's bed.

"Listen, Sasuke. I don't know how hard this must be for you…"

_You have _no_ idea._

"But I want you to know that we'll be here the whole step of the way to help you, okay?"

Sasuke nodded to let her know he'd heard. She gave him an encouraging smile and left the room after telling him there would be someone to check on him again later.

He was staying in the hospital while everything was being sorted out. There was no way anyone was making him return to the Uchiha compound anytime soon, especially since he had no idea if the…mess, had been cleaned up yet.

Sasuke was still in shock from everything that had happened. He suspected he wouldn't have been able to get the story out much less edit the necessary bits otherwise, having never been a great liar.

Less than twenty-four hours ago, his entire family had been slaughtered. Well, almost all. His brother lived because he had been ever later arriving home than Sasuke, having been away on a mission. The other survivor… Sasuke didn't want to think about that, as it brought up bad memories.

Not wanting to sit still for any longer, Sasuke slid out from under the sheets, clad only in a hospital gown, and made to leave the room.

However, he'd failed to notice that someone had been standing in the doorway and he bumped right into them. A steadying hand reached out to steady him at the shoulder.

Sasuke turned slightly wide eyes up to meet those of an older man whose gray hair surprisingly didn't remind him of an old man's, because the man just looked too young. He wore a mask on the lower half of his face and his hitai-ate covered his right eye from sight.

The eight-year-old wondered fleetingly what was underneath before he realized that he was staring rudely and backed away, letting the man's hand fall off of his shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry."

The man didn't move from the doorway as Sasuke returned to sit back onto the bed.

Sasuke stared up at the man and waited for him to introduce himself, but he seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts.

The hairs on the back of Sasuke's neck stood up as he had a thought.

_What if he _knows_ something?_

The man must have seen the terror in his expression, because he stopped looking like a statue and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

That only served make Sasuke even more nervous.

"W-what-?" He started to ask.

"Sasuke." The man paused. "My name is Hatake Kakashi. …I wasn't close to your family, but I was once friends with one of them."

He stopped to let that sink in.

"Once?" Sasuke questioned, wondering whom it had been, and if they'd been slaughtered the night before. The thought made him sick to his stomach and he almost missed the answer to his question.

"He died years ago." Kakashi scratched his cheek behind his mask. "I know you're still in shock, but I wanted to come and tell you that if you needed a home – if you decide not to return to the compound – you can stay with me. My house is nothing special, but…"

Sasuke stared at him for a few minutes, surprised at the stranger's offer.

"Of course, I understand if you don't want to." Kakashi amended after a few minutes of slightly uncomfortable silence.

"N-no, …thank you, Kakashi-san. I-I don't know what I'm doing yet, but I'll keep your offer in mind. Thank you." Sasuke slid off the bed and bowed politely, just like his mother taught him to do.

"No problem." Kakashi replied after a moment.

Sasuke wondered if the man would ask him if he was okay. Everyone he'd met so far had, even though it was obvious that he was not nor ever going to be.

Surprisingly, the man remained silent and didn't stare at him with the pity he was expecting. Instead, there was a different emotion that Sasuke couldn't quite recognize.

Kakashi left soon after, probably realizing that Sasuke wasn't going to break down and cry on his shoulder anytime soon, casting one last glance over his shoulder before disappearing completely.

Sasuke couldn't bring himself to think about what he would do next in detail; he just wanted to curl up in a ball (not nap; nightmares), in hopes that when he next got up, everything that had happened the day before would disappear.

…That his beloved brother hadn't been taken away from him and forced to take on the blame for his clan's murder.

…That Sasuke hadn't been left behind to pick up the pieces of his shattered life.

Mostly, he wondered where his brother was _now_, and if he was okay - but then he remembered that the man had said he would be, along as he cooperated.

…

Kakashi had stared at him with empathy.


	2. Alleviation

**Disclaimer:** I don't claim to own Naruto and I make no profit from writing fanfiction.

* * *

-2-

**alleviation**

_noun_

1. the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced.

2. the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance).

* * *

Ten years later, Uchiha Sasuke found himself sitting in one of the cells of Konoha's prison. He was lucky to be alive at all.

The only reason he was was because his old team, despite his betrayals, had begged the Godaime to reconsider. They were in a meeting at that very moment, deciding his fate if they weren't going to execute him. Yet.

It'd been six years since he was last in Konoha, and nothing at all had changed about it. Only the people had.

Everyone had grown up in their own way, but especially Naruto and Sakura, and without ego, he knew it was his fault.

Sasuke would think he'd been the one to change the most, but the truth was, ever since that night ten years ago, he'd been the same boy – now man.

Everything he'd done was to reunite with his brother, and now that he'd succeeded he found that he was prepared for whatever punishment Tsunade chose for him.

Orochimaru was dead. Madara was dead, Akatsuki broken up and on the run. Itachi, while not yet vindicated, was at least free from Madara.

Sasuke had done what he'd set out to do.

He only wished he had never gotten close to Kakashi, who he'd taken up on the offer of living with, and his teammates who he could now admit were the people he was closet to in the world next to Kakashi and Itachi.

Maybe he could have spared them all of this pain.

"Uchiha." A voice barked from outside of his cell, startling the usually stoic man. It was a guard, and they were unlocking the door. A figure stood behind him, and when the guard shifted over to slide open the door, Sasuke could see who it was.

"Kakashi." He murmured.

Sasuke remembered the first days spent in Kakashi's home.

He'd still been an emotional wreck, but trying not to show it. Kakashi had given him plenty of space and didn't ask any questions.

That was what Sasuke had needed. He'd needed to keep quiet, keep the secret wrapped tight around his heart until he could learn to live with it.

Once he'd accomplished that, he began to relax and start learning again. Kakashi had a couple of shelves full of books that Sasuke was very happy to devour, though Kakashi (thankfully) kept his adult books on a shelf too tall for Sasuke to reach (unless he used a kitchen chair).

It had been nothing like a Father-Son relationship and more like a 'perfect roommate' situation. Kakashi had been his guardian in name only.

He'd come to Sasuke's genin graduation because Sasuke had invited him; not because he'd felt obligated to. Sasuke never knew if the man had _wanted_ to, but it had been plenty enough that he came in the first place.

Getting the copy-nin as his team leader had been a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. Sasuke learned a lot from the man, despite the ever-distracting teammates.

When Sasuke had learned of the Sharingan, he had been angry. Then, after the mission and they were safely at home again, Kakashi had sat him down and told him the story.

Sasuke had still been angry for a few days, the situation reminding him too much of his past, until he reminded himself that Obito had given it to Kakashi freely, and Kakashi really was a Hatake; he'd seen the photograph on Kakashi's bed mantel of his father.

Sasuke still wondered if Kakashi had ever contemplated why he'd reacted the way he had. It was just too much anger (_fear_) for an Uchiha angry with a man 'stealing' the clan's eyes.

With any luck – or not – Kakashi would know the answer soon enough.

"Sasuke." Kakashi replied, and gestured for Sasuke to leave the cell. Then Sasuke followed him down several hallways until they reached a set of wooden double doors, which the guard who'd followed them opened.

Sasuke barely had time to take a deep breath before he was ushered into the large room.

Chairs filled the room, thought not as many as Sasuke had thought there'd be. He was surprised that the whole of Konoha wasn't there to watch his prosecution.

The seats were all filled, mostly with high-ranking officials or people involved in some way. Kakashi guided him up to the dais at the front of the room before joining Sakura and Naruto, who were sitting in the row of chairs to the right.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Tsunade – no, the Godaime – was sitting behind the desk on the dais. "Sit."

Sasuke sit on the chair indicated, which was beside the desk.

"We all know why you are here today. By rights, you should have been executed the minute you returned – but you have your old team to thank for your life and this chance to explain to these people your actions before you're judged for the last time."

The Godaime glared sternly down at him, and for the first time Sasuke felt a stirring of something.

_It can't be that I actually hope to get out of this alive… Not after what I've done._

Still, Sasuke stood and faced the room.

Most everyone wore a sneer, and the rest just stared back at him with stony faces. Even Naruto and Sakura, who'd always shown some expression, were blank-faced.

"I deserve all the punishment that can be laid upon me." He admitted frankly, which startled some emotion out of the people.

_Did they expect me to beg for my life?_

No, Sasuke wasn't trying to save himself now. He was trying to save some fraction of his brother's name. Even if Itachi could never return, he hoped that at least one person would believe in his innocence after this.

"And I'll accept them… After I tell you the story of my life. I hope you'll listen and understand something about me by the end."

A few people frowned. Most looked some form of curious, so Sasuke took a deep breath and began, avoiding looking at Godaime or his old team lest he falter and be unable to continue. He snorted mentally at that – he'd waited ten years for this, nothing could stop him now.

"When I was seven, strange things started happening. First, it was Itachi's attitude towards me. He started avoiding spending any time with me at first. Then he started saying things that were meant to push me away, make me want to be angry with him… I couldn't understand it at all, as we'd always been close despite our age and strength difference. Then one day, news of Uchiha Shisui's death was brought to Itachi. He was questioned about it and for the first time ever, he snapped at someone – though I suspect he fought with father at times."

Sasuke paused as he got lost in memory, shaking himself out of it when a glass of water was placed on the table in front of him. He nodded at the guard, who was already walking away, in thanks.

"I knew something was going with him after that, but I couldn't figure out _what_. Then, not long after that incident, I came home late one day from the academy. It was so dark. _Too_ dark – there were no lights on anywhere, even the street lamps. I ran right home. I called out for mom and dad, but no one answered. I heard something from the living room, and thinking it was them, I ran right in."

Sasuke took a shaky breath. Here's where the story got harder to tell. He risked a glance up to give him some time to get his bearings, and was thankful he was no longer getting cold looks. It helped. Instead, most everyone was sporting a neutral look.

Hesitantly, he glanced over to Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura's chairs. He was shocked to find Naruto and Sakura looking at him sadly, though the anger and betrayal was still there. They never had been given a personal account about what had happened.

Maybe know they'd understand the 'stick up his ass' attitude.

Kakashi was also listening with a neutral expression, but there was something else in his gaze that made Sasuke look away, down to his glass of water in his hand were it was rippling because his hand was shaking. He picked it up to take a little sip, then sat it down and folded his hands in his lap.

"I watched as a man murdered my mother and father. I couldn't do anything but stand there as their bodies fell to the floor…" Sasuke stopped to clear his throat. "I tried to run away, but the man pinned my shirt to the door with a kunai. He spoke, and told me I…he said I was a 'weak lamb that should just die', but that I had a purpose before I could. I was terrified and managed to get out the door, but he caught up with me again. He pinned me to the ground and stared into my eyes, and that's when I got a good look at him and realized he had the Sharingan."

Sasuke stopped again when a confused murmur spread through the room. No doubt they were wondering why he just didn't say "Itachi".

"That was the last thing I could think before I was suddenly under the spell of Tsukuyomi. I was shown how everyone was slaughtered. It seemed to go on for an eternity… When I came to, my brother was standing beside me and talking to the murderer. I heard the man say that if Itachi came with him, he wouldn't kill me. Itachi agreed, and they left after Madara made me swear not to tell anyone or he'd kill Itachi."

Sasuke finished softly.

The murmuring got louder as the onlookers turned to their neighbor to discuss Sasuke's words.

"Explain, Sasuke - what man are you talking about?"

"Itachi didn't do it. Uchiha Madara did."

Gasps filled the room as people recognized the name, and the ones who didn't were promptly informed. From under his bangs, Sasuke could see Kakashi explaining it to Naruto and Sakura.

"If this is true, why didn't you tell anyone? You had ten years!"

"I _couldn't_. I just couldn't risk it. Madara has methods of finding out things that would expose me in an instant. I was eight and just lost all of my family including my only brother, who was accused of the murders. I just wanted to be left alone. By the time I…recovered, I was determined to find a solution on my own."

Sasuke raised his head to glance at Kakashi, who was watching him back with a strange look on his face.

"I did consider asking for help once… When I was part of Team 7. But then I realized how weak I was, and that I couldn't protect them if something happened. I couldn't risk getting them involved, or anyone else."

"I understand what you're saying, and we talk about this in more detail, but that still doesn't let you off the hook." Tsunade declared, her eyes less severe than when they'd started.

"I know. I accept whatever you decide."

"Then please leave the room."

Sasuke nodded and followed the guard back out.

He took a seat on one of the benches and rested his head against the wall behind him.

That wasn't so bad. But that was actually the easiest part…

Sasuke still had to find out what would be done about Itachi, who was waiting outside of Konoha for Sasuke's judgment.

It was a solid hour later until Sasuke was gestured back into the room, returning to his chair.

Without further ado, the Godaime spoke. "Uchiha Sasuke. Your sentence is this: Five years of community service, and as of this point for the next two years, you are to remain a genin and not to go on any missions or go outside of Konoha unless given express permission. Lastly, you are to give us any information you know on Akatsuki to help in capturing the remaining ones."

Tsunade paused to let it sink in, then stood from her chair and stared straight into Sasuke's eyes.

"Do you accept?"

It was obviously two choices: yes, or no and you're dead.

"Yes."

"Then I think we're done here."

Sasuke stayed in place as people started to leave, sending him looks and talking amongst each other like a hundred crows flying out of a tree at once.

_Kind of like Chidori._

Considering how many years he'd been a missing-nin, Sasuke was extremely lucky he got off with the punishments he did.

Before he knew it, he was alone in the room with only three people.

Naruto and Sakura stared at him for a moment before turning their backs on him and leaving.

Sasuke _couldn't_ feel hurt about that. He deserved it.

"They'll come around eventually; once you've stayed in the village long enough without running away again."

Kakashi stood from his chair and walked over to stand in front of Sasuke, who was still sitting.

Sasuke looked into his old friend's eyes and wondered if they were about to have a heart to heart, or if Kakashi was going to do something worse than Naruto and Sakura's leaving.

Thankfully, neither happened. They deferred to their old style – silence and acceptance – as Sasuke stood, and the two walked out together.


	3. Redemption

**Disclaimer:** I don't claim to own Naruto and I make no profit from writing fanfiction.

* * *

**-3-**

**re·demp·tion**

1. an act of redeeming or the state of being redeemed.

2. deliverance; rescue.

3. Theology. deliverance from sin; salvation.

4. atonement for guilt

* * *

Seven years later, Sasuke was sitting in a classroom, reading to children about brave stories of ninja defending their country and family.

The children were sitting in a circle around him and were staring at him in rapt attention.

"Rantarou pounced! The cat would not get away from him this time, no matter how many battle wounds he would have to endure. The cat turned, hissed-" Sasuke started dramatically, the kids nearly falling over in excitement.

The only thing that kept Sasuke from continuing on was the soft knock on the door.

"Sorry to interrupt the storytelling, but its ten minutes past lunch."

Kakashi was standing in the doorway, eyes crinkled shut and an amused look on his face discernible even through the mask. At least to Sasuke, as he'd memorized the man's expression without it enough to know what they looked like _with_ it on.

The kids groaned in disappointment as Sasuke slipped a bookmark between the pages and closed it, sitting it on the chair as stood up.

"Sorry, kids. You heard the man." Sasuke grinned, waving them out the door as Kakashi held it open.

Once they were gone, Kakashi and Sasuke headed to their favorite food stand, which happened to serve Sasuke's favorite food – tomatoes. Specifically, tomatoes on toast, a new treat Sasuke had been introduced to by Kakashi.

Along the way, Sasuke felt a familiar presence and smiled. He would have a visitor tonight.

Itachi had been let off as the murderer of the Uchiha clan, but he was still a missing-nin and former Akatsuki member.

Itachi had told Sasuke that it was too late for him, but Sasuke could still make it.

_Which is ridiculous, because I joined one of Konoha's worst enemies and later Uchiha Madara himself and yet here I am_. Sigh._ Brother._

The two ate in a comfortable silence, and Sasuke let his mind wander. Usually, he tried to keep his mind in the present while on lunch breaks because it was time with Kakashi, but sometimes it was impossible to keep his thoughts straight.

Sasuke had lived with Kakashi ever since he'd returned. It was just like when he was eight, only this time the dynamics had changed. Sasuke was an adult now, and the two were more equal than they'd ever been.

It had been two years since he'd finished his community service. It was supposed to have been a punishment, but Sasuke had found it to be part labor, part fun. He'd worked under Kotetsu and Izumo at one point, and that had been one of the hardest working times. He'd spent a lot of time hauling paperwork and other stuff all around Konoha, but at least he'd stayed fit. Sasuke had had almost no time to train, but he was lucky to have Kakashi as a regular sparring partner now.

Then there was the time he was under _Hinata_ of all people, and he'd filled in for her classes at the school for younger children many times while she had missions or other duties to attend to, and had, shockingly, found that he liked it. Kids weren't so hard to deal with once you found their motivators.

Even two years after he was finished, he still read to them, only now he had his own classroom and kids to teach.

Sasuke had taken the Chuunin Exam again two years ago at the end of his service and passed, and was permitted to go on lower and mid-level missions.

He didn't know if he'd ever be promoted to Jounin level, but he was satisfied with where he was. He felt lucky to be allowed in the heart of the place he had betrayed once.

"Sasuke!" A voice called out, and he turned a startled glance to the left, where it was coming from.

It was Sakura who had called out to him. She was strolling along beside Naruto. They'd both grown so much in the last seven years, just like Sasuke.

He waited until they were a few feet away before replying.

"Hey. I'm surprised to see you so far away from Ichiraku." Sasuke directed this at the blond, who'd remained silent so far.

"Ha ha." Naruto rolled his eyes, walked up and flicked Sasuke in the back of the head. Sasuke touched the spot on his head in surprise. Sasuke could count on one hand how many times Naruto had willingly touched Sasuke in the past few years.

Sasuke caught Sakura's gaze and she smiled softly at him. He responded with one of his own.

Naruto and Sakura were starting to trust him again. It would never be like it had been when they were twelve, and Sasuke didn't want it to be.

They were adults now and didn't give their trust freely anymore. They were shinobi, and shinobi had to guard themselves against all sorts of threats, and Sasuke had been Konoha's once.

"Oi, Sasuke."

"Mm?" He murmured, turning his attention to their past teacher. Naruto and Sakura had settled on his other side and were ordering their own food.

"Here, eat this."

Sasuke automatically opened his mouth when Kakashi brought a piece of tomato on a chopstick up to his lips.

Another surprise, if Sasuke hadn't already gotten use to this one. Kakashi had started feeding him like that a couple of years ago and had yet to miss a day.

Sasuke never bothered to ask why the man fed him tomatoes when he already had his own, because he hadn't needed to. He'd long become able to read Kakashi's expression, and he'd seen the acceptance every time in the older man's eyes as he fed the red vegetable that was his favorite food to him.


End file.
